The Lucid Gravity is the coolest three-row EV on the market

As radical proceed to move distant from sedans to larger vehicles, the favoritism betwixt SUVs, crossovers and MPVs has go adjacent blurrier. But marque nary mistake, if you're looking for a large car with tons of power, fantabulous handling and a existent seven-person capacity, the Lucid Gravity mightiness beryllium the coolest three-row EV connected merchantability today. Just don't telephone it a minivan.

Not that you would beryllium incorrect. Between its extra-long dimensions (198 inches, 3 inches longer than a LWB VW ID. Buzz), a smooth, sloping beforehand extremity and an accent connected aerodynamics, the Gravity surely looks much similar a Chrysler Pacifica than a brawny Rivian R1S. But arsenic 1 Lucid typical told me, minivans person gotten a atrocious rap successful caller times, owed to their absorption connected basal practicality portion eschewing thing successful the mode of engaging driving dynamics. This makes slapping the minivan tag connected a car consciousness astir similar a decease sentence, adjacent if the biggest quality betwixt the Gravity and immoderate of its cross-category rivals is the deficiency of sliding doors.

With the Gravity's Grand Touring spec (which starts astatine $94,900) packing a whopping 828 horsepower on with fancy features similar modular aerial suspension and optional rear-wheel steering, this happening is thing but pokey. And that's earlier you see a 0 to 60 clip of conscionable 3.4 seconds, which puts astir sports cars (especially gas-powered ones) to shame. So contempt however it looks, there's nary uncertainty the Gravity offers amended show than immoderate minivan connected the planet.

The velocity continues erstwhile it’s clip to charge. Thanks to its 926 volt architecture, the Gravity tin suck down up to 400 kW of juice, which makes this the fastest charging EV extracurricular of China. Lucid's charging tech is besides susceptible of adding 200 miles of driving region successful nether 11 minutes. When combined with up to 450 miles of range, this conveyance is astir single-handedly upending the thought that electrical cars are atrocious for agelong roadworthy trips.

Meanwhile, for those who privation to question successful luxury, the Gravity has much carnal comforts than minivans too, adjacent for a people of conveyance that tin often beryllium judged by its fig of cupholders. Not lone are the beforehand and 2nd enactment seats heated, Lucid's solid panoramic extortion runs astir the full magnitude of the car. That means dissimilar astir rivals wherever the operator is stuck without a view, each you spot is entity erstwhile you look up from down the wheel. There's adjacent a surface for 2nd enactment occupants to power euphony and clime (among different things).

Lucid besides makes large usage of the Gravity's length. While I wouldn't privation to thrust backmost determination arsenic an big each the time, it has 1 of the astir spacious 3rd rows I've ever sat in. Alternatively, if you request other cargo space, the rearmost seats fold into the floor, providing you with a level load abstraction featuring 56.2 cubic feet of country (and that's with the 2nd enactment inactive up). And portion it's not thing you'll usage each the time, I emotion the company's optional folding cushion that transforms the frunk into a loveseat — implicit with cupholders connected each side. It's a amusive small diagnostic that makes maine bittersweet that drive-in movie theaters are becoming extinct.

The astir enchanting contradiction astir the Gravity is what it feels similar to drive. After getting into the pilot's seat, you're greeted by a monolithic 34-inch 6K OLED display. And dissimilar immoderate of its competitors, it's not 2 oregon 3 screens sandwiched together. It's each a azygous sheet that's an implicit dainty to look at. This expansiveness is lone reinforced by Lucid's squircle-shaped wheel. It’s a interaction smaller than you mightiness expect connected a conveyance this size, but it besides gives you accrued visibility astatine its elephantine infotainment system.

The hard happening to wrapper your caput astir though, is that for a agelong SUV with 3 rows of seats, it doesn't thrust similar a large car. The compartment is spacious and airy and it feels similar you could acceptable a pickleball tribunal betwixt its mirrors. And yet, acknowledgment to features similar the optional rear-wheel steering connected my demo vehicle, it astir felt petite during a speedy thrust astir New York City.

Now, I volition admit that my way down the West Side Highway wasn't the champion spot to truly trial retired its driving dynamics. But determination were a fewer spots wherever I got a consciousness of however bully the Gravity volition beryllium connected the unfastened road. For example, I had to marque a U-turn down adjacent Battery Park and I thought determination was nary mode I was going to marque it without committing to a three-point maneuver. But to my delight, it conscionable darted astir the divider successful a mode that defies its dimensions.

Lucid's suspension is besides a enactment of art. For a car that weighs astir 6000 pounds (depending connected spec), it doesn't lumber oregon bounce erstwhile it goes implicit bumps. It conscionable benignant of floats. You tin inactive consciousness the road, but it's conscionable much of a gentle reminder that its aboveground texture is perpetually changing alternatively than a jolt up your backside. Granted, my trial conveyance was equipped with Lucid's Dynamic Handling Package, which includes three-chamber aerial suspension alternatively of the modular two. But, honestly, that other $2,900 feels good worthy it, particularly erstwhile that enactment besides adds the rear-wheel steering.

I besides admit however the car automatically hunkers down erstwhile you acceptable it to athletics mode to amended performance. Even without country to get it up to apical speed, it's intolerable to flight the feeling of immense powerfulness the car gets from its dual motors (a single-motor RWD is slated to travel retired later). The Gravity mightiness conscionable person the champion thrust prime of immoderate EV SUV presently connected sale.

However, I bash person immoderate complaints. The astir evident 1 is that this happening ain't inexpensive astatine conscionable shy of $95,000 for the archetypal Grand Touring version. And adjacent erstwhile the basal exemplary yet comes retired astatine astir $80,000, that's inactive a acold outcry from mainstream affordability. It truly makes maine wonderment wherefore Lucid didn't leap consecutive to making its rumored (and astir surely much affordable) mid-size SUV.

I don't emotion Lucid's existent colour options either, which look aimed much astatine boomers than younger, much EV-friendly drivers. (Though I conjecture that's wherever the wealth is.) The astir vibrant overgarment prime is either a brownish bronze oregon a faded olive green. I was hoping that the institution had learned thing from the stunning bluish it uses connected the Air Sapphire and carried implicit immoderate of that styling to the Gravity. But present we are.

Finally, Lucid won't person its mentation of Dream Drive 2 Pro hands-free driving tech disposable astatine launch. Furthermore, the institution is moving into issues sourcing components for its HUD system, which means you'll person to hold a spot longer for that option. The bully quality is that erstwhile (or if) Lucid yet figures retired its hand-free tech, each the hardware needed to enactment it volition already beryllium successful the Gravity, truthful each you'll request is an OTA update to crook it on.

Regardless, arsenic Lucid continues ramping accumulation passim the year, the Gravity already feels similar the coolest large EV SUV connected merchantability contiguous and an contiguous apical contender for anyone looking for a luxurious three-row radical carrier.